FAQ

Got Questions?

When the time comes to paint the interior of your home there are many things to consider. Should you try to do it yourself or should you hire someone? Is there even a difference in painting companies or are they all the same? How can you be sure you’ll love the end result?

Here are the top 10 questions we hear from clients or people just checking us out:

1I’ve bought all kinds of paint samples and put them on the walls, and I still can’t seem to get the right color. How do you do it?

The reality is that picking the right paint color is both an art and science. And just like not everyone has an ear for music, not everyone has an eye for color. In fact one study found that just 7% of the population can consistently choose the correct color.

When we select colors we come to your home. Your flooring, cabinets, countertops, furnishings and lighting all have to be considered when coming up with just the right color to make your home feel comfortable.

2I’m thinking of painting my house by myself, how long does it take?

As a general rule of thumb, a 1600 sf single story home where the ceilings, walls and trim are painted takes approximately 80 man hours. So it would take a 2 person crew approximately 5 days.

3I’ve gotten 3 different quotes to have my house painted, how come there is such a wide range in the price?

Painting is 90% prep. Proper preparation takes time, and time is money. Never is the phrase, “You get what you pay for” more true than when it comes to hiring painters.

Skilled painters are just like other skilled craftsmen and are paid accordingly. While it’s possible to hire day laborers or other jack-of-all trades handymen, once you walk inside one of our projects you will immediately be able to experience the difference professional painters can make.

4I had always heard that you need to use semi-gloss in the kitchen and bathrooms, is that still true?

Years ago the quality of the paint was so poor compared to today’s standards, that if you wanted any chance to clean the walls you needed to use semi-gloss.

The new paints that we use can have a much lower sheen while still remaining completely scrubbable.

5Do I really need to paint my base and trim?

Nothing takes more abuse in Arizona than the baseboards of your home. With the amount of dirt and dust in the air the floors are constantly being mopped or vacuumed. All that cleaning tends to leave unsightly marks on the baseboards. Most people don’t know how bad theirs looks until they see some that have been freshly painted.

6When should I consider painting my ceilings?

We really look at 2 things. Color and condition. In Arizona most of the builders used an off-white color for their ceilings. Sometimes the ceiling color has a very yellow tint to it that tends to clash when you put it against some of newer grays tones. In those instances we always recommend that the ceilings be repainted.

Condition speaks for itself. If there are marks, drywall repairs or anything else that would cause you to notice that it does not look clean and fresh we would recommend that they be repainted.

7What is the difference between spraying and rolling?

While spraying the inside of a house is certainly a cheaper alternative to rolling on 2 coats of high quality paint, the overall look and feel of the project is seriously compromised.

In our experience any time the walls have been sprayed the house has the feel of a cheap rental property.

8How long will my paint job last?

The paint that we typically use comes with a lifetime warranty. The truth is that the color goes out of style way before the paint breaks down.

The reason we put so much emphasis on picking the right colors is that we think a paint job should last you at least 15 – 20 years without going out of style.

9How does lighting affect the look of my paint?

Poor lighting can have a negative effect on the overall feel of a home without you even recognizing it. People can get used to mismatched lights or even flickering fluorescents and blame a lot of what they feel is wrong with their home on something else.

We try to eliminate CFL’s and halogen’s whenever possible. We have started using the new LED’s in either the warm or cool tones in whichever most appeals to your senses.

10Painting is a big investment, will I get my money back out of my house when I go to sell it?

In our experience 95% of the homes out there are painted poorly or with the wrong colors. A typical paint job costs between 1 – 2% of a home’s value.

After painting hundreds of homes we can confidently say that paint has the most dramatic effect and provides the biggest bang for your buck.